NameCensus.

UK surname

Randell

English occupational surname for a worker who made or repaired rims for wagon wheels.

In the 1881 census there were 1,857 people recorded with the Randell surname, ranking it #2,348 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,913, ranked #3,327, down from #2,348 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes and Coker, West. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Rhondda Cynon Taf, Torfaen and Eastleigh.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Randell is 2,101 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 3.0%.

1881 census count

1,857

Ranked #2,348

Modern count

1,913

2016, ranked #3,327

Peak year

1999

2,101 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Randell had 1,857 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,348 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,913 in 2016, ranked #3,327.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,072 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Randell surname distribution map

The map shows where the Randell surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Randell surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Randell over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 1,389 #2,061
1861 historical 1,482 #1,907
1881 historical 1,857 #2,348
1891 historical 2,023 #2,282
1901 historical 1,979 #2,680
1911 historical 2,072 #2,412
1997 modern 1,982 #3,077
1998 modern 2,066 #3,080
1999 modern 2,101 #3,062
2000 modern 2,054 #3,102
2001 modern 1,994 #3,120
2002 modern 2,062 #3,094
2003 modern 1,951 #3,181
2004 modern 1,958 #3,168
2005 modern 1,916 #3,200
2006 modern 1,918 #3,206
2007 modern 1,913 #3,238
2008 modern 1,914 #3,253
2009 modern 1,974 #3,244
2010 modern 2,037 #3,227
2011 modern 1,982 #3,253
2012 modern 1,921 #3,300
2013 modern 1,949 #3,311
2014 modern 1,969 #3,304
2015 modern 1,942 #3,309
2016 modern 1,913 #3,327

Geography

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Where Randells are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes, Coker, West and Brighton. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Rhondda Cynon Taf, Torfaen, Eastleigh and Scarborough. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 London parishes London 1
3 Coker, West Somerset
4 London parishes London 3
5 Brighton Sussex

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Rhondda Cynon Taf 026 Rhondda Cynon Taf
2 Torfaen 002 Torfaen
3 Rhondda Cynon Taf 015 Rhondda Cynon Taf
4 Eastleigh 009 Eastleigh
5 Scarborough 001 Scarborough

Forenames

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First names often paired with Randell

These lists show first names that appear often with the Randell surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Randell

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Randell, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Randell surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Randell household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Randell is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Randell is most concentrated in decile 7 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Randell falls in decile 6 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Randell is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Randell, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Randell

The surname Randell originates from England, with roots dating back to the 12th century. It is a locational name derived from the Old English words "rand" or "rond," meaning a path or a border, and "hyll," meaning a hill. The name likely referred to someone who lived near a boundary or borderland on a hill.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Randulfus" and "Randulf." This version was a Norman form of the name, brought to England by the invading Normans in the 11th century.

In the 13th century, the name evolved into spellings like "Randhyll" and "Randle," which were used interchangeably with "Randell" in various regions of England. Some early examples of the name include John Randell, who was mentioned in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1327, and William Randell, recorded in the Feet of Fines for Essex in 1428.

Several notable individuals have borne the surname Randell throughout history. Sir Thomas Randolph (c. 1285-1332) was a Scottish diplomat and military leader who played a significant role in the Wars of Scottish Independence. Robert Randell (c. 1570-1640) was an English clergyman and author who wrote extensively on theological subjects.

Another notable figure was John Randell (c. 1610-1691), an English lawyer and politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Guildford in the 1640s. Thomas Randell (c. 1640-1712) was an English merchant and benefactor who founded the Randell Free School in Tiverton, Devon, in 1710.

Finally, Sir George Randell (1801-1882) was a British naval officer and explorer who served in the Royal Navy and led several expeditions to the Arctic regions, contributing to the mapping and exploration of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago.

The surname Randell has undergone various spelling variations over the centuries, including Randall, Randle, Randle, Randle, and Randyll, among others. It has also given rise to place names like Randall, a village in Gloucestershire, and Randalstown, a town in County Antrim, Northern Ireland.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Randell families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Randell surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Middlesex leads with 238 Randells recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.31x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 238 1.31x
Hampshire 155 4.15x
Surrey 147 1.65x
Gloucestershire 135 3.78x
Sussex 128 4.16x
Kent 96 1.54x
Dorset 81 6.77x
Norfolk 81 2.89x
Wiltshire 73 4.53x
Warwickshire 69 1.50x
Carmarthenshire 55 7.16x
Somerset 50 1.70x
Leicestershire 44 2.18x
Bedfordshire 36 3.81x
Glamorgan 36 1.13x
Yorkshire 36 0.20x
Essex 34 0.94x
Worcestershire 33 1.39x
Durham 32 0.59x
Lancashire 28 0.13x
Devon 27 0.71x
Northamptonshire 24 1.40x
Suffolk 24 1.08x
Derbyshire 20 0.70x
Berkshire 18 1.32x
Channel Islands 18 3.33x
Lincolnshire 17 0.58x
Herefordshire 15 2.01x
Buckinghamshire 14 1.27x
Hertfordshire 14 1.11x
Monmouthshire 14 1.06x
Oxfordshire 13 1.15x
Northumberland 12 0.44x
Staffordshire 11 0.18x
Cornwall 8 0.39x
Cambridgeshire 7 0.61x
Pembrokeshire 5 0.86x
Angus 4 0.24x
Cumberland 4 0.25x
Cheshire 3 0.07x
Nottinghamshire 3 0.12x
Lanarkshire 2 0.03x
Royal Navy 2 0.92x
Midlothian 1 0.04x
Radnorshire 1 0.68x
Selkirkshire 1 0.61x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Brighton in Sussex leads with 37 Randells recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.97x.

Place Total Index
Brighton 37 5.97x
Portsea 36 4.92x
Greenwich 25 8.61x
Llanelly 25 14.45x
Islington London 23 1.30x
Southampton St Mary 22 9.36x
Swindon 22 17.59x
Croydon 21 4.26x
Kidwelly 21 133.84x
North Walsham 20 98.96x
Aston 19 1.50x
Lambeth 19 1.20x
Swansea Town 19 7.30x
Hackney London 18 1.76x
Birmingham 17 1.11x
Halstead 17 880.83x
Bisley 16 49.38x
Christchurch 16 19.75x
Hammersmith London 16 3.56x
Lewisham 16 4.82x
St Peter Port 16 16.01x
Clifton 15 8.30x
Meon Stoke 15 506.76x
Toddington 15 110.78x
Hove 14 10.38x
Paddington London 14 2.09x
St Pancras London 14 0.95x
Burnham 12 53.64x
Chelsea London 12 2.18x
Ecton 12 310.88x
Snodland 12 68.03x
Bedwellty 11 4.73x
Bromley London 11 2.74x
Camberwell 11 0.94x
Cowley 11 588.24x
Bethnal Green London 10 1.26x
Bradford On Avon 10 19.37x
Hurstpierpoint 10 58.45x
Kingston On Thames 10 4.69x
Poplar London 10 2.91x
Abbotsbury 9 147.30x
Bristol St James In 9 17.12x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 9 2.67x
Chickerell 9 176.13x
Dunstable 9 31.02x
Great Wolford 9 625.00x
Hampreston 9 103.57x
Hart 9 68.13x
Liverpool 9 0.69x
Northchurch 9 67.06x
Pembrey 9 25.47x
Peterchurch 9 225.56x
Shoreditch London 9 1.14x
Warblington 9 60.73x
West Ham 9 1.13x
Aldershot 8 6.39x
Beckenham 8 9.84x
Blandford Forum 8 33.88x
Bower Chalk 8 305.34x
Chertsey 8 13.94x
Chiswick 8 8.03x
Cromer 8 80.24x
Kingston 8 153.26x
Leicester St Margaret 8 1.62x
Modbury 8 82.56x
Newington 8 1.19x
Westminster St John 8 3.60x
Bessingham 7 823.53x
Brampton 7 17.54x
Chesham 7 17.23x
Findon 7 158.01x
Isleworth 7 8.64x
Leigh 7 24.22x
Preston 7 411.76x
Southwark St John 7 12.55x
St Marylebone London 7 0.72x
Tanfield 7 10.85x
Westbury On Trym 7 5.78x
Whitworth 7 17.63x
Wyke Regis 7 40.77x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Randell surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Mary 128
Elizabeth 77
Sarah 51
Emma 47
Jane 32
Alice 30
Ellen 27
Ann 26
Emily 26
Annie 22
Charlotte 21
Eliza 20
Florence 16
Louisa 15
Edith 14
Hannah 14
Maria 14
Martha 14
Anne 12
Catherine 12
Kate 11
Susan 11
Ada 10
Margaret 10
Caroline 9
Fanny 9
Harriett 9
Harriet 8
Julia 8
Clara 7
Rose 7
Sophia 7
Amelia 6
Esther 6
Minnie 6
Rebecca 6
Amy 5
Elizth. 5
Frances 5
Lucy 5
Rosa 5
Jessie 4
Laura 4
Lizzie 4
Margt. 4
Maud 4
Rachel 4
Selina 4
Agnes 3
Ethel 3

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Randell surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
William 98
George 85
James 84
John 73
Charles 57
Henry 46
Thomas 46
Joseph 35
Edward 26
Frederick 24
Walter 21
Arthur 18
Albert 16
Alfred 16
Robert 16
Richard 13
Samuel 12
Ernest 11
Francis 11
Frank 11
Wm. 9
Edwin 8
Harry 6
Benjamin 5
Daniel 5
David 5
Jesse 5
Herbert 4
Sidney 4
Stephen 4
Fred 3
Harold 3
Job 3
Thos. 3
Tom 3
Willm. 3
Abraham 2
Alexandra 2
Cyril 2
Ebenezer 2
Fredric 2
Louis 2
Mark 2
Moses 2
Patrick 2
Percy 2
Philip 2
Ralph 2
Urban 2
Wilfred 2

FAQ

Randell surname: questions and answers

How common was the Randell surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,857 people were recorded with the Randell surname. That placed it at #2,348 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Randell surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,913 in 2016. That gives Randell a modern rank of #3,327.

What does the Randell surname mean?

English occupational surname for a worker who made or repaired rims for wagon wheels.

What does the Randell map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Randell bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.